


Hanakotoba

by Lepidopteran (inarticulate)



Category: Amatsuki, Black Butler, Genjuu no Seiza, Sekirei, Suikoden Tierkreis, Tales of Destiny, Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Innocence
Genre: Drabbles, F/F, F/M, Female Characters, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-27
Updated: 2009-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-18 07:51:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/558602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inarticulate/pseuds/Lepidopteran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten 100-word character studies in flowers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lotus - Philia Felice

Every morning before the others wake up, Philia rinses her hands and prays. It was difficult in Kalvalais, where the only water was brine, but she managed, and here in Phandalia the fresh snow only costs the time it takes to melt it.

Rutee is the only one who gets up as early as Philia does, and she watches sometimes. "You really are a priestess, huh?" she says, but it's not mean, and Philia smiles at her.

She is a priestess and always will be. She will not let anything change that, not even the temptations of the outside world.


	2. Orange Lily - Angelina Durless

Lady Macbeth was wrong; the blood washes off all too easily. Madam Red is used to that, though she has memories of despairing to her tolerant maid back when she still called herself Angelina. She's not used to the way her hands tremble, how the soap falls to the floor.

"What have I done?" she whispers, and the tears rise behind her eyes. Killing them won't bring her baby back, won't give her back her husband--

Hands settle on her shoulders, and the tears don't fall. "Remember what she said?" Grelle whispers, her voice like silk. Madam Red remembers it.


	3. Red Spider Lily - Harold Belserius

The room is just as colorful as Harold left it, but it seems emptier somehow. Every time she sees Atwight, the other woman starts to talk about grief and tears and some other feeling words that Harold's never been good at, though, so the room it is.

"Well, Mr. Cat," she says to the stuffed animal lying against the plush sheep pillow. "I guess it's just you and me."

Her workshop is gathering dust. It's not like they need her inventions, now that the war is functionally won. Only the computer is clear, her brother's face frozen on the screen.


	4. Cactus - Rachel Phantomhive

She lies against him afterwards, laughing soft against his skin and breathing in the smell of him. "I hope you enjoyed yourself, Mr. Phantomhive."

"Always, Rachel," he says, and his smile is bright and honest the way it so rarely is outside the bedroom. "You know how to put me through my paces."

"You wouldn't think it to look at me, would you." She nips at his shoulder, turning it into a kiss when he groans.

"I knew from the moment I saw you." He strokes her cheek, and she leans into it. It's the sweetest thing she's ever heard.


	5. Zinnia - Len-Lien

"You don't have to keep doing that," Marica says from behind her. Len-Lien tenses, but she stays there, on her knees and up to her elbows in Liu-Shen's laundry. "He managed before you came along. Though I guess he did smell a little worse."

"These are my duties." Len-Lien glances behind her just in time to see Marica shift and look away.

"Yeah, that... Do you really have to?"

"I did it for Elder Lao-Kwan as well." Len-Lien returns to scrubbing with vigor. "Liu-Shen is... special, too."

"Do you like him? Like that?"

Len-Lien doesn't say anything; she doesn't know.


	6. Morning Glory - Ange Serena

"I'll help you build whatever you want," Albert says, and Ange smiles. She can hold her wine very well, but Albert, it seems, cannot. "Just stay with me."

"I did swear my loyalty to you, after all." Ange tilts her head. "A cathedral would be nice, I suppose, since I did destroy the last one. It would be good atonement."

Albert is quiet. "You have nothing to atone for, Orifiel," he says finally.

"Ange," she says firmly. Now isn't the time to have this argument, nor to lean over and kiss his cheek. She does it anyway, because she can.


	7. Hydrangea - Tsuruume

She sights her target along the arrow and lets it fly. It hits perfectly in the center, as always, and she allows herself a tiny, fierce smile. "You're always so good, Tsuruume-san," one of the new priestesses says with a sigh.

Tsuruume doesn't say how she stayed up late practicing, doesn't say how she mastered her shadow magic by the light of the stars and the fireflies with the taste of Ginshu-sama's candies still in her mouth.

Instead she says, "We must be skilled enough to protect the princess from any danger."

She doesn't mention that she wasn't strong enough.


	8. Edelweiss - Benitobi

"You must put the mask on again," they tell her.

Beni doesn't remember much about the first time. She remembers voices and a sudden, fierce itch through all her limbs. Then it's fuzzy; Suzume says it's because she wasn't prepared. He says that he remembered more as he got used to the mask. As it got used to him.

So she kneels there. She should feel afraid, but she doesn't. She feels strong, like she can do anything. She reaches out and picks up the mask to press it to her face, to feel the bloodlust well up inside her.


	9. Red Poppy - Mayu

Fuuto stops and makes a detour over to her room, peering in. His curiosity tickles at the back of her mind. "Hey, what're you doing?"

"I am getting dressed," Mayu says. She feels that's obvious, as she's pinning a red hairclip in place.

"Well, yeah." Fuuto scratches his head. "I meant what for? That's really..." He gestures.

She decides to alleviate his discomfort. "To the mall." She returns her gaze to the mirror, adjusting the clip. "I am told there are many 'suckers' there."

The laughter she feels inside may not be hers, but she enjoys it all the same.


	10. Forget-me-not - Uzume

Uzume knows the first time they meet. She can feel her skin heat and her heart beat faster, and every sekirei knows what that means. _I'm not ready,_ she thinks, and she leaves Chiho with a smile, a cheery wave, and a kitty ear headband instead.

It's the third time she visits that she can't help herself anymore. She kneels next to Chiho's bed and buries her face in the covers and whispers, "Please, wing me."

"Wing you?" Chiho's voice is high.

Uzume leans up and catches Chiho's lips with hers. This is what she always wanted and never had.


End file.
